Another good one from @itscatharriss on Instagram. I have to say, the closer I get to 40 (still have a few years to go), the easier this gets. Partly because I don’t suffer from the same insecurities I once did, but more so because I am acutely aware with each passing day, just how few things in life really, truly matter. And those that DO deserve all the energy I can give them. What DESERVES (not just demands) your energy?

I’m pretty sure that nothing beats spending Christmas with a 4 year old who ‘gets it’ for the first time. This has been the most magical day! I hope you are all having just as much fun (but I doubt it). 😉

This pic from@quote.niche on Instagram really struck a chord with me today…one of those days when you feel like it’s taking all of your energy to keep your head above water, meanwhile the waves just keep coming…how do you keep up the positive, ‘can do’ attitude, you will need to survive the trials ahead? I don’t have all the answers (which is one of the reasons I like to collect quotes), but I do know from experience that whenever I’ve felt the most downhearted, the one thing that lifted me out of my funk faster than anything else was to do something kind for someone else. So, that’s what I’m going to do. And if you’re feeling a little blue, I encourage you to try it too. Let’s make the world a better place together.

Such a great thought @itscatharriss on Instagram has shared. And what a difference it can make in your day when you choose to focus on the positives. If you’re in need of a mood boost, try taking some time out to write down & reflect on what you have to be thankful for (no matter how small). If you’re anything like me, once you get started it will be hard to stop.https://instagram.com/p/8LSvgnSpS-/

As a lifelong artist, I’m constantly seeking new sources of inspiration (sometimes consciously, sometimes not). I have within me a NEED to create, which tends to pop up at rather ‘inconvenient’ times – like when I’m halfway through a project and suddenly get an idea for something else I just HAVE to try out. Now. On any given day, you can walk into my office and see several different works-in-progress in various stages of completion…I used to consider this one of my biggest setbacks as an artist, but I’ve come to accept that this is just how I work. Eventually I will circle back to each piece and finish it. And more often than not it turns out better than I originally envisioned. I just needed to take a break so I could return again with a fresh perspective and renewed energy. As it happens, this applies to quite a lot of other things in life as well.